Calibrachoa plant named ‘USCAL91001’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘USCAL91001’, characterized by its compact, upright to outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; freely branching growth habit; dense and bushy appearance; early and freely flowering habit; red purple-colored flowers with yellow-colored star-shaped pattern and centers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘USCAL91001’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘USCAL91001’.

The new Calibrachoa plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and Bonsall, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Calibrachoa plants with uniform plant habit, freely branching growth habit, unique flower coloration and good garden performance.

The new Calibrachoa plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor on May 11, 2008 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietary seedling selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code name CJ08-61, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary seedling selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code name CJ08-38, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Bonsall, Calif. on May 27, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Bonsall, Calif. since May 28, 2009 has shown that the unique features of this new Calibrachoa plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and various cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘USCAL91001’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘USCAL91001’ as a new and distinct Calibrachoa plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright to outwardly spreading and mounding plant         habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit; dense and bushy appearance.     -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Red purple-colored flowers with yellow-colored star-shaped         pattern and centers.     -   5. Good garden performance.

The new Calibrachoa plant can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have cherry pink-colored flowers with red-colored star-shaped pattern.

The new Calibrachoa plant can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection primarily in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have yellow-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the Calibrachoa ‘USCALI17’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,701. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Bonsall, Calif., plants of the new Calibrachoa differed primarily from plants of ‘USCALI17’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more mounding than plants         of ‘USCALI17’.     -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and ‘USCALI17’ differed in         flower color as plants of ‘USCALI17’ had red purple-colored         flowers without a star-shaped pattern.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the Calibrachoa ‘USCALI28’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,847. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Bonsall, Calif., plants of the new Calibrachoa differed primarily from plants of ‘USCALI28’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more mounding than plants         of ‘USCALI28’.     -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and ‘USCALI28’ differed in         flower color as plants of ‘USCALI28’ had ruby red-colored         flowers without a star-shaped pattern.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Calibrachoa plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Calibrachoa plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘USCAL91001’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a close-up of a typical flowering plant of ‘USCAL91001’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the late spring and early summer in 10-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Bonsall, Calif. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 24° C., night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 7,000 foot-candles. Plants were pinched one time and were seven weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. ‘USCAL91001’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of             Calibrachoa sp. identified as code name CJ08-61, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of             Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number CJ08-38, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About four days at             temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 29° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About six days at             temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About 22 days at             temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 29° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant, winter.—About 25 days at             temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright to outwardly             spreading and mounding plant habit; freely branching habit             with about five primary lateral branches each with about             three to four secondary lateral branches; pinching enhances             branching; moderately vigorous, dense and bushy growth             habit.         -   Plant height.—About 16 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 30 cm by 37 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 15 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Internode length, vegetative.—About 1 cm.         -   Internode length, reproductive.—About 1.9 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to 146C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate; after flowering,             opposite; leaves simple.         -   Length.—About 2.6 cm.         -   Width.—About 9 mm.         -   Shape.—Oblanceolate.         -   Apex.—Rounded.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             137B. Fully expanded leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close             to 137B; venation, close to 137C.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper surface:             Close to 146C. Color, lower surface: Close to 146D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers             arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with usually             about 25 to 27 open flowers and flower buds per lateral             branch; flowers face upright and outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of             the new Calibrachoa begin flowering about six weeks after             planting; plants flower continuously from spring though the             autumn in California.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five days on             the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3.6 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 2.9 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 8 mm by 10 mm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 2 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter, base.—About 2.5 mm.         -   Flower bud.—Shape: Elongated oblong. Length: About 2.3 cm.             Diameter: About 6 mm. Color: Close to 145D.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and             opening into a flared trumpet. Petal lobe length (from             throat): About 1.5 cm. Petal lobe width: About 1.7 cm. Petal             shape: Roughly cordate. Petal apex: Emarginate. Petal             margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper surface: Smooth,             glabrous; velvety. Petal texture, lower surface: Pubescent.             Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Pubescent.             Color: Petal lobe, when opening, upper surface: Close to             N186D. Petal lobe, when opening, lower surface: Close to             198D. Petal lobe, fully opened, upper surface: Brighter than             71A; towards the throat, close to 187A; star-shaped pattern,             close to 13B; primary color becoming closer to 71 C with             development; venation, close to 71A. Petal lobe, fully             opened, lower surface: Close to N77B; venation, close to             187B. Throat: Close to 12B; venation, close to 145C. Tube:             Close to 195B; venation, close to 187C.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five             sepals in a single whorl and fused at the base. Sepal             length: About 1.6 cm. Sepal width: About 3 mm. Sepal shape:             Ligulate to narrowly elliptical. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal             margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Angle: About 30° to 45° from stem axis. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 146D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: About five per             flower. Filament length: About 7 mm. Filament color: Close             to 145D. Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: About 1 mm.             Anther color: Close to 5D. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen             color: Close to 6B. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower.             Pistil length: About 1.2 cm. Style length: About 8 mm. Style             color: Close to 145D. Stigma shape: Oval. Stigma color:             Close to 144A. Ovary color: Close to 145C. Seeds and fruits:             Seed and fruit development have not been observed on plants             of the new Calibrachoa. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed     to have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about 40° C. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Calibrachoa. 

1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named ‘USCAL91001’ as illustrated and described. 